The fact that this was still around a 9.5/10 despite the Witcher burnout starting to kick in heavily for me goes to show how fantastic this DLC is. I do think I prefer Hearts of Stone as a story, but this was easily a better complete videogame experience on the whole.
The writing is phenomenal, and the characters are outstanding. I don't think they reach the emotional depth of an Olgeird von Everec, or are as engaging a villain as Gaunter O'Dimm, but the characters of Anna Henrietta and Regis provide great countering perspectives between which Geralt is torn. They also work as fun companions for their respective main story quests. I think particularly Regis is a standout character, and easily one of my favourites in the entire game. He enriches the themes of the world of the Witcher while providing genuine comedic chemistry with Geralt.
I don't particularly care for Sylvia Anna as a villain, but I can appreciate what she does for the themes of 'virtue' and loyalty in the story.
The fairytale aestethic of Toussaint is fantastic, and helps set it apart from the other areas in the Witcher 3. The fact that it is only "perfect" on the surface is ofcourse part of the message of the DLC, but still I find it hard not to be a little bit sad for the destruction that happens to it during Dettlaff's siege of the capitol.
The main questline is also some of the most engaging (main!) quests since the bloody baron questline from the base game, and you get to visit some wonderful setpieces and scenarios. Particularly the little things like Rapunzel tying a noose from her own hair is wonderfully morbid and tragic. Or using Aard to blow away the Three Little Piggies' brick house; its so simple yet clever.
I also very much appreciate the inclusion of mutations as a way to reward levelling up in the endgame, and being able to further my build after I felt I pretty much plateaued in power level since I hit level 30, almost 30-40 hours back.
Also the Skellige gwent deck is sick and nasty GRAAAH!! (I'm simply not going to question why people can just make their own cards and factions and others just have to accept it, but Skellige genuinely feels overtuned compared to the other factions lol).
There's probably a bunch I could still talk about like the various endings and their implications, or how the DLC deconstructs knighthood, but it's already plenty long. I'll leave that to any of the countless youtubers who I'm sure have made hour long essays about it. I adored the Witcher 3, but I'm going to need a break from it for a while. Time to finish Metroid Prime finally, it's been on the backburner long enough because of this unique, beautiful mess of a game.
The writing is phenomenal, and the characters are outstanding. I don't think they reach the emotional depth of an Olgeird von Everec, or are as engaging a villain as Gaunter O'Dimm, but the characters of Anna Henrietta and Regis provide great countering perspectives between which Geralt is torn. They also work as fun companions for their respective main story quests. I think particularly Regis is a standout character, and easily one of my favourites in the entire game. He enriches the themes of the world of the Witcher while providing genuine comedic chemistry with Geralt.
I don't particularly care for Sylvia Anna as a villain, but I can appreciate what she does for the themes of 'virtue' and loyalty in the story.
The fairytale aestethic of Toussaint is fantastic, and helps set it apart from the other areas in the Witcher 3. The fact that it is only "perfect" on the surface is ofcourse part of the message of the DLC, but still I find it hard not to be a little bit sad for the destruction that happens to it during Dettlaff's siege of the capitol.
The main questline is also some of the most engaging (main!) quests since the bloody baron questline from the base game, and you get to visit some wonderful setpieces and scenarios. Particularly the little things like Rapunzel tying a noose from her own hair is wonderfully morbid and tragic. Or using Aard to blow away the Three Little Piggies' brick house; its so simple yet clever.
I also very much appreciate the inclusion of mutations as a way to reward levelling up in the endgame, and being able to further my build after I felt I pretty much plateaued in power level since I hit level 30, almost 30-40 hours back.
Also the Skellige gwent deck is sick and nasty GRAAAH!! (I'm simply not going to question why people can just make their own cards and factions and others just have to accept it, but Skellige genuinely feels overtuned compared to the other factions lol).
There's probably a bunch I could still talk about like the various endings and their implications, or how the DLC deconstructs knighthood, but it's already plenty long. I'll leave that to any of the countless youtubers who I'm sure have made hour long essays about it. I adored the Witcher 3, but I'm going to need a break from it for a while. Time to finish Metroid Prime finally, it's been on the backburner long enough because of this unique, beautiful mess of a game.